Liquid-dispensing apparatus



April 8, 1930. w s E ET AL 1,753,278

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Ma 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS AOBf/U Mamma- ATTOkNEY April 8, 1930. w s ET AL I 1,753,278

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "Am" g a I\ W 48 I is E; H g x; I 9 \LD \0 INVENTORS Aaefkr wnsrams BY 52/? 707/7 Patented Apr. 8,- 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE 301mm wnsrmme AND EZRA mum, or OAKLAND, earn-min, ASSIGNORS or ONE- TRIED TO PAUL n. LINDALE, or an: rmncrsoo, CALIFORNIA LIQUID- DISPENSING APPARATUS Application filed May 2, 3925. Serial No. 27,403.

Our-invention relates to liquiddispensers quantities of liquid.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described in p which all of the liquid discharging from the apparatus at each dispensing operation is withdrawn practically in its entirety directly from a heat insulated storage receptacle. I v

- Another object of theinvention is to provide a device of the character described having the liquid storing portion thereof structurally independent of and removable from the dispensing portion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which may be successivel used for the dispensing of different liqui s.

' A still further object of the invention is to provide unusually simple means which is particularly adapted to the working of the present dispensing apparatus and which requires the depositing of a coin therein before the dispensing of a measured quantity of liquid may be effected. 1

Our invention possesses other ob'ects'and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of our invention which is illustrated in the draw-- ings accompanying and forming vpart of the specification; It. is to be understood-that we do not limit ourselves to the showing made by the said drawings and description, as we may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of our invention as set forth in the claims. 4

Referring to said drawings: i Figure 1 is a front sectional view taken on a plane through the axis of the dispensing cock of the apparatus, and showing the coc 1ifvlalve in position for discharge of liquid there- Figure 2 is a side sectional view taken in the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure 1, but with the parts disposed for the removal of the liquid storage portion of the device and the valve inoperatively disposed.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view beingi of a; portion of the apparatus including the -d1spens1ng valve taken on the line 22 of Fi ure 1. a

igure 4 is a-view similar to Figure 3, but showing the dispensing valve disposed to receive a charge of liquid.

Figure 5 1s a side 'view of the apparatus taken on the line 5 5 in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a front view, partly in section, of the apparatus taken on the line 6--6 in Figure a 7 A's here shown, the apparatus of our invention comprises a liquid container 7 removably associated with a dispensin cock 8. The cockmay be held removably xed to the container by any suitable means, such means being here shown as com rising an annularly flanged plate 9 remova lyfixed to the body 11 of the cock, having the flange portion 12 thereof threaded to engage the correspondingly threaded portion 13 of the neck 14: of the container and provided with a centrally disposed perforation 15. Seated in the cock body 11 is an axially rotatable valve 16, prefsertion of the valve in its seat may be efiected.

In order that'the valvemay'be held seated,

a compression spring1'9 is interposed between its larger end and a'plate 21 removably fixed to the end 18 of the cock body and covering the valve seat opening ther'ethrough.

The valve 16 is arranged to measure and deliver successive charges of liquid from the container, and, as here shown, is provided with a cavity 22 therein having a single port 23 opening therefrom through the side of the valve and intermediate its ends, such port arranged to register with radially dispose ports 24 and26 provided in cock body 11, with the port 24 communicating with the perforation 15 of the plate 9. In this manner, rotation of the valve to cause alignment of the valve port 23 with the body port 24 will permit the filling of the valve cavity 22 with liquid from the container when the latter is disposed above the valve, as particular-.

1y shown in Figure 4. On the other hand, ro-

tation of thewalve to cause the valve port 23 to register with the port 26 will permit the 5 emptyingof the cavity through theport 26, when the latter is positioned below it, as shown in Figure 3. While the ports 24 and 26 are here shown in vertical alignment, it will be obvious that either might be otherwise dis osed, provided only that they lie respective y below the container and the valve cavity to receive liquid therefrom as required. It will now be noted that the charge of liquid receivable by the valve will have a of the valve cavity 22 and valve port 23, and since the close fit of the valve in its seat prevents leakage, exactly equal charges will be delivered at each dispensation by the apparatus, it being obvious that the regulation of the volume of the charge is thus merely one of the design of the valve and its cavity.

With the cock body held fixed in any desired manner, and with the ports 24 and 26 properly disposed, it will be clear that a charge of liquid may be passed through the valve by rotatin it so that the cavity will be successively lled from the liquid container and emptied through the port 26. As here shown, the required axial rotation of the valve is arranged to be manually effected by means of an axially .aligned valve-rod or shaft 27 extending therefrom, to the end of which a crank 28 is here shown attached.

Since it will frequently be found necessary to replace a substantially empty container with a full one, the container and cook are preferably so mounted that the cock may be positioned above the container during its separation therefrom, and thereby provide for the complete retention of the liquid in both containers during the replacement. As here shown, the cock body is mounted for pivotal movement about the valve axis such pivotal su port bein provided by utilizing the valve s aft 27 an an axially aligned stub shaft 29 extending from the other end ofthe valve from the shaft 27, it being now noted that the valve and shafts 27 and 29 are here shown formed as an integral unit. To pivotally su port the container and cock, it is now more y necessary to mount the shafts 27 and 29 in the bearings 31 of a suitable su ortor' base member 32, here shown of yo e orm to allow the swinging of the cock portions between the bearings. Deliberate and accidental unseating of the. valve is preferably arranged to be prevented by fixing to the valve shaft extendin from the end of the valve having the sin est diameter and outwardly of the corresponding bearin'g 31, a collar 33 which will prevent appreciable longitudinal unseating of the valve by hearing against the outer end 34 of thebearing. While the crank 28 is here shown fixed to the volume equal .to that of the combined spacesvalve shaft 27, it will be obvious that it may equally well be fixed to the shaft 29 without necessltating any change in the hereinbefore described structure. With the foreg n struction, it will now be noted that w en a if operatively positioned, and thereby frictionally resist the turning of the valve, means are provided for independently supporting the container and cock when disposed for the vending operation. As here shown, such means comprises the provision of a bearing plate 36 on the normally lower side 37 of the cock body and a cooperatin plate 38 carried by the support 32, the p ates being so disposed that when contactually superposed they will cooperate to center thevalv'e in its seat and relieve the shafts'27 and 29 of the weight of the container and cook body. To

effect the necessary lifting, the forward portion 39 of the upper plate bearing surface is here shown slightly curved, sothat theefiect of the action of an inclined plane is produced as the container is swung to its upright position', while to insure proper uprig t positioning of the container, a stop 41 and cooperating notch 42 are here shown respectively provided on the plates 38 and 36 to limit the pivotal movement of the container and cook ody. The plate 36, it will be noted, is also here shown provided with a passage 43 communicating with the port 26, the latter passage bein connected to a suitable hose or delivery tu e 44 for delivery of the liquid where desired.

The machines of our invention, as hereinbefore described, may be used to serve a variety of liquids such as beverages, chemicals, or oils, and when handled by an attendant, would need no provision against their unauthorized operat1on; but a most important field of application, it will be evident, is that of automatic sales vending in which a customer deposits 9. coin, or proper slug], and is thereby enabled to serve himself wit a charge of the liquid. Means have, therefore, been provided for the use of the apparatus for automatic sales of liquid, such means bein here shown as comprising the rovision o a coin operated releasing means or permitting the rotation of the normally locked valve shaft, and the housing of the apparatus in a locked receptacle. .As here shown, the valve shaft 27 is held against rotation by means of the cooperation will disc 47 being providedwith a transverse slot 48 at the extremity of its shortest radius in which the bearing point 49 of the lever 46 is arranged to normall engage. As here shown, the disc 47 is pre erably so positioned on the shaft 27 that when the lever art 49 is engaged in the slot 48, the valve is disposed in its dispensing position. Release of the shaft to allow turning of the valve may now, it will be noted, only be effected by removing the lever end out of the slot. As here shown, such release of the valve is arranged to be effected by utilizing the weight of a coin 51 for the purpose, the coin being arranged, upon being placed in a coin slot 52 to come to rest upon the end 53 of the lever 46 and by its weight lift the lever end from the 'slot, it being noted that the lever 46 is here shown as a lever of the first class. Rotation of the shaft by means of the crank, it will now be noted, will, throughthe lifting of the lever point 49 by the cam 47 cause the movement of the lever end 53 to such a pos1- tion in the coin slot that the coin will be enabled to fall therefrom when the discharge of fluid from the cock occurs. In this manner, the proper operation of the releasing means is assured and a positive control of the vending operation is provided. Movement of the crank in a reverse direction, it will be noted, is prevented by means of a ratchet 55 mounted on the valve shaft 27 and a cooperating pawl 56 carried on the support 32. As here shown, the lever 46 and pawl 56 are pivotally mounted on a bracket 57 fixed to the support 32 adjacent one of the shaft bearings.

In the present embodiment of our invention, the apparatus hereinbefore describ d is arranged in a suitable housing 58, which is here shown as comprising a rectangular box provided with a glass front 61 and a hinged back member 62 arranged to drop downwardly and to be locked in closed position by means of a suitable' locln'ng means, here shown as a cooperating hasp 63, staple 64, and adlock 65. The support member 32, it

he noted, is bolted to the bottom 67 of the housing, and the side wall 68 of the housing is provided with perforations 69 and 71 arranged to respectively receive the end 72 of the coin slot and the shaft engaging portion 73 of the crank. A bracket 74, secured to the wall 68, is provided for supporting and holding positioned the lower end of the coin slot.

Since in using the device for the dispensing of beverages, which are desirably served at fixed temperatures, containers of the vac uum type, as illustrated in Fi ure 1, are preferably used, though it will be obvious that where, as for non-beverage fluids, maintaining a fixed temperature is not necessary, a singlewalled container may be used. For hygienic reasons, the containers are preferably ormed of glass. The use of the vacuumbottle type of container, itwill now benoted, permits the servin either of hot drinks, such as chocolate or co ee, as well as iced drinks.

sures an entirely fresh supply of liquid whenever the containers are changed, whereas,

with dispensing apparatus having the con- 1. In a liquid vending apparatus, a con- Then, too, removability of the containers intainer for liquid, a cock provided with a horivalve rotatable about its axis, a valve shaft having portions thereof extending axially 'zontally disposed frustro-conical vending valve axis, and means for maintaining the centering of said valve in said cock when said container is positioned substantially directly above said cock.

- 2. In a liquid vending cock, a vending valve seatedin said cook, a valve shaft extending from said cock and arranged for the manual operation of the cock valve, means including a cooperating cam and a trip lever for normally preventing the movement of said shaft, coin operated means arranged for the displacement of said lever to release said shaft for rotation, and means permitting the rotation of said shaft in only one direction.

3. In a liquid vendingcock, a valve rotatable about 1ts axis and arranged to receive a charge'of liquid when in one position and to discharge the same from the cock when in another position, a valve shaft fixed to said valve and extending axially from the ends thereof, a support member having bearings in which said shaft is revolubly mounted, means normally preventing the rotation of said shaft, coin operated means arranged for the release of said shaft to permit rotation thereof, and means permitting the rotation of rotatable about its axis and carrying sai container, a shaft on said plug, and a fixed support engaging said shaft whereby said I cock and container may be rotated about said valve axis to a position in which a major portion of said container is below the level of 7 said valve axis.

5. In a liquid vendingapparatus, a con'- tainer fora liquid, a vendin cock having a plug arrangedv for rotat1on a out a horizontal axis and suFporting the cock body, and means detachab y and operatively fixing said container in mounted relation on said cock body whereby pivotal movement of said 'cock I and container about said axis may be eflected without turning said plug in said body.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Oakland, California, this 27th day of April, 1925.

ROBERT WESTBERG.

" EZRA TIMM. 

